Hedge Trimmer Extension Adaptor
A Hedge Trimmer Extension Adaptor is disclosed. A device for adapting a standard hedge trimmer (electric, battery or gas powered) so that the operator can reach and trim hedges that are normally beyond the operator's reach either vertically, horizontally or both, without resorting to ascending a ladder or other unsafe efforts. The tool consists of four parts. The hedge trimmer is a commercially available electric hedge trimmer. The switch assembly, the support pole assembly, and the upper tray adaptor are the other three parts. The support pole assembly is screwed into the “Hedge Trimmer Extension Adaptor” system and is the handle the operator holds onto. The switch assembly snaps onto the support pole assembly and is used to control the hedge trimmer. This product is very novel because of the simplicity of the design and the snap together construction. The design incorporates a significant amount of adjustability and features and it is only composed of two major parts.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for adapting a standard hedge trimmer (electric, battery or gas powered) so that the operator can reach and trim hedges that are normally out of reach of the operator, without resorting to ascending a ladder or other unsafe efforts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Powered hedge trimmers are handy tools for grooming shrubs and hedges in a fraction of the time it would take with manual clippers. Most residential hedge trimmers have a blade measuring 16 to 25 inches long with a cutting surface on both sides for shaping shrubs. Hedge trimmers may be powered by electricity, a rechargeable battery or gas.
Corded electric hedge trimmers are lightweight, quiet and easy to start, making them the most popular choice for residential use. However, they require an electrical outlet and lengthy extension cord, which can easily tangle on obstacles while trimming. Cordless hedge trimmers, on the other hand, are equally quiet and easy to start, and the rechargeable battery offers more freedom of movement. The trade-off is less cutting power and a limited run time (unless you have a backup battery). Gas-powered hedge trimmers are favored by homeowners and yard maintenance professionals who need mobility and maximum cutting capability. Many residential users find gas-powered hedge trimmers to be loud, heavy and an effort to start, to say nothing of the fumes the engine produces. They also require periodically replacing the air and fuel filters.
Most people who need to trim shrubs and other foliage in their yard prefer corded electric hedge trimmers, which are cheaper than gas trimmers or cordless electric models, quiet to operate, lightweight and don't run out of fuel. Corded hedge trimmers are available in a variety of blade lengths; the longer the blade, the faster you'll be able to finish a big job. Maximum branch diameter cutting capacity is dependent on the motor size (more amps equals more power) and the gap between teeth on the blade, typically ½ inch to ¾ inch. The main drawbacks to corded hedge trimmers are that you're tethered to an extension cord, and keeping that cord from becoming tangled in branches while trimming.
When pruning tall hedges, the operator must usually resort to ascending a ladder or other unsafe efforts because he can't reach and trim branches that at or near the top of his bush. The ideal “Hedge Trimmer Extension Adaptor” would extend the operator's reach, so that he could reach out and up to trim all branches. It would also have a method for quickly and easily changing the angle and locking in the new angle of the cutting blade to the support pole, held by the operator, so that a reasonable number of sides of a hedge could be attacked from one position. The adaptor would also be able to facilitate the use of any of hundreds of different hedge trimmers that are currently available on the market, with no adjustment. This adaptor should also give the operator a method of controlling the operation of the hedge trimmer at all times, so that the operator is not placed in danger or branches cut by accident. Finally, this adaptor should be easy to manufacture and snap together so that this small proportion of the hedge trimmer system does not abnormally burden the overall system.
Notwithstanding these inconveniences, few improvements have been introduced to solve these problems.
Banta, E T. al (U.S. Pat. No. 5,070576) describes a “Hedge Trimmer Extension Handle” for use with the Black & Decker electric hedge trimmer, that can quickly attach to this hedge trimmer to reach vegetation which is beyond the user's reach vertically, horizontally, or both. This proposed embodiment has the limitations that it must be used with only one particular make and size hedge trimmer. It also has no means to adjust the angle of the blade so that as many sides of the bush can be reached for one position as possible. It is also assumed that the control trigger on the hedge trimmer will be locked in the “on” position while the trimmer is maneuvered around the hedge for trimming. This condition puts the operator in significant danger and also could facilitate trimming braches that the operator did not wish to trim.
Drake, E T. al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,562) describes an “Extension Handles for Hedge Trimmer”. This device is severely limited in design and use because it encloses the hedge trimmer being supported by a clamping box. This will limit the use of this device to only hedge trimmers that can fit tightly in this box. The described device does have a provision for changing the angle of the blade with respect to the support pole, but the mechanism described is very cumbersome and only allows the operator the choice between two positions, which is not adequate. It is also assumed that the control trigger on the hedge trimmer will be locked in the “on” position while the trimmer is maneuvered around the hedge for trimming. This condition puts the operator in significant danger and also could facilitate trimming branches that the operator did not wish to trim. The use of this device would significantly burden the value of any trimmer system.
Ott, E T. All (U.S. Pat. No. 3,218,789) describes a rotary lawn and hedge trimmer device, which configures a household electric drill as a lawn edger or hedge trimmer. This device holds the drill and includes a handle so that the operator can stand erect and trim the lawn. However, when the device is used as a hedge trimmer, the handle is removed in order to make the device more convenient.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGESAccordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are that it would extend the operator's reach, so that he could reach out and up to trim all branches of the bush he is working on. It also has a method for quickly and easily changing the angle of the cutting blade to the support pole, held by the operator, so that a reasonable number of sides of a hedge could be attacked form one position. The reason this feature is paramount is that the operator may not be able to re-position himself to reach some branches of the bush because of a physical constraint, such as a fence. The adaptor is also able to accommodate any of hundreds of different hedge trimmers that are currently available on the market, with no adjustment. This adaptor also gives the operator a method of controlling the operation of the hedge trimmer at all times, so that the operator is not placed in danger or branches cut by accident. Finally, this adaptor is easy to manufacture and snap together so that this small proportion of the hedge trimmer system does not abnormally burden the overall system.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS100 Hedge Trimmer
101 Extendable Pole
102 Upper Tray Adaptor
103 Lower Clevis Adaptor
104 Back Strap
105 Front Strap
106 Switch Housing
107 Trigger Switch
108 Wire Switch
109 Switch
110 Screw
111 Switch Assembly
DESCRIPTION OF INVENTIONThe present invention provides a new and simple to use hedge trimmer system which can be used quickly without the need of any tool to extending the reach of the operator of any manufactures' hedge trimmer. This tool is very versatile and yet very simple in design. It allows the operator to change the angular position of the hedge trimmer with respect to the supporting pole to facilitate the reaching of most sides of the hedge from a fixed position, without disassembling the unit. By pushing one button, the operator can make this angular adjustment.
The operator may need to change the angle of the blades with respect to the 101 Extendable Pole to reach different portions of the bush. This effort is accomplished by depressing the button on the 102 Upper Tray Adaptor marked “press” and then simply moving the 100 Hedge Trimmer to the desired angle and releasing the button. The operator can then trim the portion of the hedge that he could not reach with the pervious angle setting.
CONCLUSIONS AND SCOPE OF INVENTIONThus the reader will see that the Hedge Trimmer Extension Adaptor invention provides a highly reliable, lightweight, yet economical device that allows the operator to extend his reach to trim many different faces of a bush from one position.
While my above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, rather as an exemplification of one preferred embodiment thereof. Many other variations are possible. For example, the 102 Upper Tray Adaptor & the 103 Lower Clevis Adaptor could be constructed for metals to add rigidity to the tool. The tool could be used without the 111 Switch Assembly, to save cost, but safety and utility will be sacrificed. The size and shape of the tool could be modified slightly to accommodate larger, heavier, gas hedge trimmers, but the design concepts will be the same.
Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiment illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
Claims
1. A method for quickly and easily changing the angle and locking in the new angle of the cutting blade to the support pole.
- The ability to facilitate the use of any of hundreds of different hedge trimmers that are currently available on the market, with no adjustment.
- A method of controlling the operation of the hedge trimmer at all times, so that the operator is not placed in danger or branches cut by accident.
- An adaptor that is easy to manufacture and snap together so that this small proportion of the hedge trimmer system does not abnormally burden the overall system.
2. A device as in claim 1 where the device is constructed out of metal, for increased rigidity.
3. A device as in claim 1 where the size and shape of the tool is modified slightly to accommodate larger, heavier, gas hedge trimmers, but the design concepts will be the same.
4. A device as in claim 1 where a friction lock instead of the present detent lock locks the angular position of the hedge trimmer in place.
5. A device as in claim 1 but without the embodiment of the control switch assembly, to save cost.
6. A device as in claim 1 where the Velcro straps are replaced with similar but different strapping methods.
7. A device as in claim 1 where the device is made of only one part with no angular adjustment to save cost.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 29, 2011
Publication Date: Nov 1, 2012
Inventor: Frank Houghton (Milpitas, CA)
Application Number: 13/097,779
International Classification: B26D 1/00 (20060101); B23P 23/00 (20060101); B26B 19/00 (20060101);